Concourse Issue 1 by Keele University Students Union

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. A note from the editor..

Contents.

Right, well hello... I don’t really know where to begin - so I’ll just end; I’m very proud to have produced my first issue of Concourse, I hope you find it interesting and a massive thank you to everyone who contributed. Fadi Dada.

2 Finances. 4 YOUR Sabbatical Team... An introduction. 6 “Unemployed, broke, disillusioned” and loving It. Why it’s not so bad to be a Graduate. 8 Freshers week at KUSU! 10 The Car Parking Partnership... 12 Drinking: The Survival Guide! 14 Mood: Apathetic. 16 Ask Fay... 19 Hello from The Athletic Union. 20 KUSU Suduku/YouTube hall of fame. 21 Concourse Player Profile.

Dates for your diary... Student Council 28th September 26th October 25h January 22nd February 10th May Union General Meeting (UGM) 12th October 9th Novebmer 8th February 8th March 31st May

It’s Just A Name... You could say that a name stands for your reputation, or your identity, your character, or perhaps it’s just a way of distinguishing one thing from another. But none could deny that all names have meaning, all names have a history, a story behind the label, a meaning hidden within their past. Take this publication for example. Its definition: A 'concourse' is a large open area; a lobby, piazza, or an assembly. But this definition does not give Concourse any meaning. For a better meaning we could turn to the etymology of the word itself. Concourse originated from the Latin concurrere meaning a running together - similar to concur, i.e. to agree upon. Just as a concourse was a commune for crowds of people, so is 'Concourse' a space for the voices of the assembly to be shared. So, we're starting to have some history, but what about the history of Concourse the magazine – I don’t’ want to know the definition, I want meaning! Concourse started in 1964 as a newspaper and since then has surpassed over a half-dozen other student publications including; "Keele Left", "Keele Newsletter", "Sacred Cow", "University of Keele Bulletin", and "WOOP!". Concourse has covered most of Keele's history, including Keele's brief run as an independent country in 1981. It's always been there to give meaning to the goings on of Keele and to document Keelites running’s about and that in turn gives it meaning. It’s all in the name. Concourse, because we're all running together. A. Stewart Dent

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Finances... At a special meeting on 26 May, Senate, the university’s ruling body for academic matters, agreed that the university should seek to make savings of £6.5 million over the next two years in order to absorb the external cuts and to secure the university’s financial health and long-term future. Part of the motivation for these plans is the view taken by university management that current staff costs (65.5% of total expenditure) are too high, against a sector average of 55.8%. The planned cuts will reduce staff costs to about 58% of total expenditure; most of the planned reduction in expenditure will be through staff losses. On several occasions, including at the Senate meeting, the university has declared that it wishes to avoid compulsory redundancies. In order to avoid compulsory redundancies the university is first using what it has termed ‘soft’ routes. These are voluntary severance, and partial retirement; planned ‘routine’ retirements; and a recruitment freeze. As a result of these mechanisms, by the end of July the university identified £2m savings in the budget for 20102011 (which began on 1 August 2010). You could say that’s a good start against the, roughly, £3.25m which will need to be saved in 2010-2011. In other words, we’re about one third of the way to the overall total. Even so, it looks certain that there are going to be fewer staff teaching as many or even more students - by one calculation, these cuts imply a reduction in staff of perhaps as much as 10%. Of course, there are many other factors which might cause difficulties in the future. The coalition government has declared that there will be an average of 25% cuts in public expenditure; as universities are not ‘protected’ in the way that the NHS is, it seems likely that cuts in university funding will be at least 25%. However, it should be noted that, even if Keele were to receive a 25% cut in government funding, this would not be a total cut of 25%, because of the diversity of funding now going into universities - including student fees, of course! As of 1 August Keele has a new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett. It was a very good sign that he agreed to meet the main campus unions, UCU, UNISON and UNITE within the first two weeks of his tenure. And he has already expressed his wish and intention to work closely with unions as well as other staff groups to solve these problems together. Keele, and more broadly, the whole Higher Education sector face an uncertain future. Much depends on what is announced in October as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. In this context, it is even more important than usual that all unions, including the Students’ Union, seek to find common ground with the university to achieve the best, and least painful way through these difficult times. The Universities are facing some of the greatest challanges in recent years and Keele University campus unions and Students’ Union are UNITED in representing the students and workforce at this time. Support your union, because when we are UNITED we are strong. Committed to a better future, UCU, UNISON, UNITE and KUSU. 2

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! m a e T l a ic t a b b a S YOUR

Kari Rittoo PRESIDENT What made you run for the position? It’s not possible to say this in a non cliched way but I wanted a job where I could make a differance to the place... I’ve had the best time of my life at Keele and I thought it was time to give something back!

What made you run for the position?

What can we expect from you?

Awful jokes... Did you hear about the guy who invented the windowsill? He was such a ledge...

A friendly face up in the Sabb corridor whenever you have an issue or a question. Freshers tip... Societies are an ace way to meet lots of people you many not have otherwise ran into. Favourite quote... “It’s shots o’clock!” 4

Fadi Dada COMMUNICATION S & DEMOCRACY My mother. What can we expect from you?

Freshers tip... Don’t gossip, Keele is a tiny place and it’ll always come back and bite you in the arse! Favourite quote... “If your shoes sound good, they probably look good too”.

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y Rosie Weatherle IVITIES FINANCE & ACT What made you run for the position? I love sandwiches, so I put them in my manifesto... The rest is history. What can we expect from you? You can expect me to scrutinise your society expenditure forms! Freshers tip... If you don’t ask, you don’t get - if you want something, dislike something, have a problem or a great idea - come upstairs and talk to us about it! Favourite quote... “I hate this section”.

Sonia Douz Sport & Fitness

Nikki Cooper EDUCATION & WEL FARE What made you run for the position? Plain and simple - I wanted to make a differance! What can we expect from you? Lots of free stuff! A large part of my role is dealing with academic issues, which means I’ll be providing you all with lots of advice and representation! Freshers tip... Don’t be shy! Smile, have fun, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Favourite quote... “The Beastie boys fought, and possibly died for our right to party”.

Tim Hinchcliffe KPA Chair

What made you run for the position?

I love sports and I love Keele, simple as.

Keele felt like home, I wanted to help furnish it.

What can we expect from you?

Everything from ten pin bowling to extreme sports weekends! I will also be introducing regular sports forums to make sure students have their say!

A decent amount of representation and a dollop of reform. I want to make the KPA fit for the future.

Freshers tip...

Postgrad tip...

Check out the reduced isles in the supermarkets for cheap food and freeze it!

Remember, your work is like a child, care for it and it will grow into something wonderful.

Favourite quote...

“Do not follow where the path may lead., go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.

"I bought some batteries, but they weren't included” - Steven Wright. 5

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“Unemployed, broke, disillusioned” and Why it’s not so bad to be a Graduate.

loving It. By Oliva Isaacs

’ve just realised I’m sat writing this in a park, on a Monday afternoon. God, I’m so unemployed, I can feel the Job Seeker’s Allowance burning a hole in my pocket. I’ve been told on countless occasions that it’s a bad time to be a Graduate and yes, it is. We have been nicknamed ‘the Lost Generation’ and The Independent lovingly described us as, “unemployed, broke and disillusioned”. But whilst in other years Graduates have found themselves in the mundane 9-5 a bit too quickly, I see this (economic mess) as an opportunity. It’s a chance to find out what it is we really want to do with our life and, due to the ever-competitive job market, now’s the time to step away from the over-subscribed Graduate Job websites and think outside the proverbial box.

-subscribed “Now’s the time to step away from the over proverbial box...” Graduate Job websites and think outside the I graduated in 2009 with a BSc in Neuroscience and Psychology. Not wanting to go into research (the lab coat just really isn’t me), and always having this nagging feeling I should have done something more creative, I wondered about mixing the two together. I discovered the huge area of science-related journalism, television, radio and events. You need experience to get into these areas regardless, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but seeing as I couldn’t get a half decent job anyway, I decided I’d get a flexible shit job and then volunteer away the rest of my time. Since then, I’ve been tarting myself about (for free) around the organisations and companies I want to work for in the future. I’ve worked on high profile science exhibitions, run events with the BBC, written about the latest research for websites, and now and again I get to meet famous science geeks like Professor Robert Winston (the TV guy off ‘Child of Our Time’), Ben Fogle (BBC’s ‘Animal Park’; Your Mum probably loves him) and Stephen Fry (the Legend). I have far more contacts in my chosen career area than I would have done had I got a dead-end temp job, and I’m slowly but surely making a name for myself. If this is what it takes to get to the good stuff then so be it; I travel all over the country, get my expenses covered and meet a lot of nice people. Not bad for not even a day’s paid work. I also took the opportunity to get the hell out of England and teach in Thailand for 9 months. With a monthly salary I was able to travel around Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and STILL bring back some savings to pay for the necessary social integration upon my return. So you see, it’s not ALL bad, you’re free to do what you want, when you want, all it needs is a little thought and ambition, and be prepared to get your hands dirty. Yes, we know it’s not going to be easy, we’ve been told (thank you very much), but some graduates have even gone on to start their own businesses, creating their own jobs, so maybe the current, depressing job market is actually creating hardened, entrepreneurial spirited graduates, with some fight left in us yet. As my Dad would say, “It’s all character building”, soul destroying, painfully depressing, crap, character building, but hopefully one day, we might appreciate everything a little more once we’ve finally made it as real people. Good luck to you. 6

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FRESHERS WEEK! THE ENTERTAINMENT!

CO! BREAKER DIS E IC 0 .1 9 25.0

First night back at the SU and we are open till 3am so you’ve got some extra time to get back into the Keele swing of things and catch up with your mates. There will be loads of giveaways, a roaming magician & balloon modeler, pro face painter & a bucking bronco to help get you in the party mood.

29.09.10 - GL EE CLUB ROC K-A-OKE MEETS JAGUA R SKILLS!

Don your American High School Uniforms for a Glee night with a twist! For all you budding Glee stars you get to take to the stage with your own live band! For a less cheesy edge to the evening we are pleased to announce the return of Jaguar Skills with his ‘Smash up Tour’. ! UNG GUNS O Y 0 .1 9 30.0 Fresh from rocking the main stage at the Reading & Leeds Festival Young Guns will be playing live at Keele. The band has won the Rock Sound and Kerrang! Magazine end of year readers polls for ‘Best British Newcomer’ and ‘Best New Band’ 2009 .Check out their Myspace for more details. 01.10.10 - FRESHERS PA RTY!

26.09.10 - STEVIE STARR ‘THE REGURGITATOR’!

Starr has appeared on many television shows, with several appearances on US TV shows such as the ‘Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ & the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’. You might have also seen him recently reaching the semi finals of ‘Britain’s got talent’. Stevie’s show makes for gruesome, stomach-churning, compulsive viewing - and it definitely should not be tried at home.

We’ve got an amazing line up for you this year but at the time of going to print we are not allowed to release any details. Check facebook in the coming weeks for full details. Don’t leave it to late to buy tickets for this one last years Fresher’s Party sold out in record time

! MONDAY UV RAVE 27.09.10 - MEGA

We’ve a D&B legend making his debut in The Ballroom. It’s all a bit hush hush for now as we are not allowed to release any details at the time this goes to print but rest assured you won’t want to miss this one! 28.09.10 - LEE NELSON’S WELL GOOD TOUR!

Brace yourselves for "proper mad" fun as irrepressible South London geeza Lee "Nelsy" Nelson is on tour! A word from Lee…. “Now I'm travellin around the UK doin live shows in places I ain't never heard of. It's full of stuff that was too funny for TV and it's for people out of London who don't have TVs”.

CO! ADPHONE DIS E H 0 .1 0 .1 2 0

The return of one the most popular & well loved nights at Keele. Take a room full of clubbers, arm them all with a set of wireless headphones, have two separate DJ's broadcast to them live via two dedicated FM channels and watch the utterly surreal spectacle that unfolds!

LEE! 03.10.10 - XXX HYPNOTIST TONY A hypnotist like no other, Tony Lee has been astounded audiences around the World for years performing over 5000 sell out shows. Come and witness him hypnotize and manipulate his audience into doing things you wouldn’t believe if you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes. It’s a riotous comedic affair of an adult nature!

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RAG WEEK!

Keele enjoyed great success during this year’s Rag (Raising and Giving) Week in June 2010. 168 mad hours of fundraising, ranging from a carnival, a sponsored silence, a 24-hour live radio broadcast, ‘RAG Mag’ sales, and climaxing on day 7 with the ‘Run for Home’ event, (in which students are abandoned in teams of 4 at a mystery UK location, and have to return to Keele using no money, phones, or their own transport) brought students, staff, lecturers and the wider community together. The Students ’ Union were proud to award £2,000 each to the Donna Louise Trust

and the Newlife Foundation for disabled children and are already in the planning stages for next year. KUSU Vice-President (Finance & Activities) 2010-2011 said: ‘The unique community spirit of Keele is what makes events like RAG so successful here, and it was our pleasure to give a little back to the Staffordshire area. I can’t wait for RAG 2011- bring it on!’

A hello from Vinnie! A big Keele HELLO to all you lovely fresher’s! And a big welcome back to you all my fellow Keelites/Keelians. My name is Vinnie and I am your Entertainments Officer (Ents. Officer, though sadly this doesn’t involve the tree people thingies from Lord of the Rings) for this academic year. As Ents. Officer my role is to work with the Union’s staff, namely the Entertainments Department, to get things together for your nights out. I am here for YOU! So please make sure to tell me what it is you like, the things that you really dislike and everything else inbetween! Feel free to message me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KUSUENTERTAINMENTSOFFICER. Additionally (and more importantly) the Ents. Meetings will be held weekly. If you want to get involved please come along as you are all welcome, especially if you happen to be a PAINTER, ARTIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, DJ, MUSICIAN, GRAPHIC DESIGNER etc. Finally, come see us at Fresher’s Fair on Monday 27th for more information!

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The Car Parking Partnership... By Anonymous Last year I saw an article in Concourse entitled 'Car Parking'. This article, I felt compelled to write, points out that the situation has not changed. I've been at Keele a few years now and each year I see the parking situation worsen. A few years ago, CFM (Keele's attempt at a commercial arm) outsourced the parking fine system to a company called 'the Car Parking Partnership'. It all went downhill from there.

nt guarding the entrance, “You enquire politely to the parking attenda ere else” to be told that you should just “go somewh Let me set the scene. You're a driver, you live far away from the bus route – so you scrape together enough money to buy yourself a cheap car in hope of driving back and forth to your lectures. Not only do they levy you with a heavy £50 fee for a parking permit, but every time a car park is full and you're forced to go elsewhere, you return to a £50 fine on top of that. And why? All because you wanted to actually attend your lectures in the first place. Then one day you turn up suitably early in order to get a parking space (you hoped), only to find that one of the car parks is 'RESERVED' for, “What's this? A conference?” You enquire politely to the parking attendant guarding the entrance, to be told that you should just “go somewhere else”. You ask where, he replies in the same coarse voice that he doesn't know. So you drive around a little longer. Now you're 7 minutes late for your lecture. You know that your lecturer locks the door at precisely 5 minutes past, or will just stop the lecture and embarrass you as you walk in late, so you go home. Little did you know, but that was the exam revision lecture that your lecturer had failed to advertise. Great. So, some weeks later, you walk into your exam (after having paid for a taxi, because you know by now what it's like to park on exam days) under prepared, you get 1 mark from the grade boundary that you needed to get a higher degree classification. This may seem far-fetched to those of you who don't drive, but in reality it has and will continue to happen to those of us who choose not to live on this campus. d of Keele University. “Why do we stand for this? We are the life-bloo Without us, this place would not exist”

Side by side with this dramatic change in ethos, now they're removing the rights of on-campus students to park next to their dwelling. If you bought or rented a house, flat or apartment anywhere else in the country... you'd expect to be able to bring your car at least within 100 meters of your house. Oh no, not Keele. Banned unless you can fit into their very limited number of nonrestricted groups (but thankfully they haven't tried to ban disabled students from having parking permits – yet!). Why do we stand for this? We are the life-blood of Keele University. Without us, this place would not exist. Who gave these little blue goblins and their bosses the right to set the rules, to steal our money and punish us for actually parking considerately?

Got an opinion? Want to vent? Let Keele hear it! You can submit an aticle, a picture, a story, a riddle, a quiz to Concourse by contacting Fadi Dada (Vice President Communications and Democracy) Just email it to vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk 10

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DRINKING... The Survival Guide! ! EAT SOMETHING Make sure you eat a good meal before you drink to line your stomach. Slow-releasing, complex carbs, such as whole-wheat bread or brown rice, give your body more energy for longer. Combine them with lots of vegetables and some lean protein! Having nothing else but a packet of crisps and a curly wurly before you go out will just lead to you vommin’ everywhere - Not fun.

AVOID DARK COLOURED DRINKS! This sounds a little ridiculous, but dark coloured drinks such as dark rum and whiskey contain natural chemicals (congeners) that can worsen a hangover... This was news to me too, but it’s science and you cant argue with science!

DRINK WATER! Separate your alcoholic drinks with a glass of water or a soft drink; you don’t even have to tell people there isn’t any vodka in your half of coke, you’d be supprised at how many people actually do this...

DRINK SPIKING... IT HAPPENS! Never leave your drink unattended; and be wary of accepting drinks from strangers. If you do accept the offer of a drink, go to the bar with them and watch the drink until you have it in your hand... Keele is a pretty safe little community, but don’t let that make you complacent.

DECIDE ON A BUDGET! Work out how much you can afford to spend before you go out to avoid being tempted to overspend on cheap drinks. Or only take cash and leave your bankcard at home.

KNOW YOUR LIMIT ! Don’t drink to impress, because you’ll probably end up looking like a bit of a tool. Be confident, say no when you know you have had enough.

DRINKS! DON’T MIX YOUR You’ll have probably heard this one a million times before, stick to one type of alcohol. Don’t mix shots with cider and beer, if you’re drinking vodka stick to vodka. Mixing drinks can make for a very nasty hangover..

PLAN YOUR ROUT E HOME! Always plan how you’ll get home from a night out and never walk home by yourself. Stick with your mates and split the cost of a taxi from a reputable firm... There’s a free taxi phone in the foyer of the Students’ Union. 12

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you’re going to ignore HANGOVER CURES! (We know all of the previous advice...) • Drink as much water as you can before hitting the sack and keep more by the bed to slurp if you wake in the night. • Take a painkiller, a soluble one in water is best. • Take an antacid to settle your stomach. • Remember alcohol is a depressant. A tea or coffee may give you a slight temporary lift, but they may also dehydrate you further, so keep up with the water to counteract this. • Go for a gentle stroll if you feel able and get some fresh air and light on the face. • Avoid hair of the dog (curing your hangover with more alcohol) – you might think it helps but all you’re doing is easing the alcohol withdrawal and delaying the problem. • Get plenty of rest and relaxation and stay away from booze for at least 24 hours after a heavy session. O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! That we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! - William Shakespeare, Othello

“I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me” - Winston Churchill. 13

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By Brendan Rodgers

Hello Keele! Welcome to all freshers- and welcome to all returning students! This issue I would like to start a discussion about being involved in student life and student politics- a discussion that will hopefully last for at least a few issues of Concourse 2010! Where do we start this discussion? Lets start with a definition: “Apathy (also called impassivity or perfunctoriness) is a state of indifference”. That’s Wikipedia’s take on it at least (oh Wiki, how we love you). Apathy doesn’t necessarily mean a sense of disdain towards Student Politics, although this is often the context in which the word is used within student environments. Apathy actually (according to dictionary.com), involves the absence or suppression of passion, emotion and excitement.”

te of time both intellectually “If people believe that the evening is a was .” and politically then why would you turn up.. To some this definition may seem like common knowledge- but lets keep everyone on the same page here! I can admit to shamefully having not realised the definiton of Apathy – I had thought it was akin to ‘being aware of how to make change, but being too lazy to do so’. The strict definition however, must mean that very few people are apathetic. However! How common is this misconception? Out of curiosity, I started to look into what opinions were being conveyed to potential students. Thestudentroom.co.uk is a website designed to help students learn about the universities around the country, and interestingly under the title “Would you recommend Keele?” comes the discussion of apathy at our beloved university. One user replies to this discussion with the following quote: “There is virtually no intellectual activity going on either, in terms of political discussion and alternative thinking…it leads to apathy and a sense of detachment from the issues of the real world.” 14

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Really? Is this REALLY what people think? If it is it might explain why the student’s union has failed to gather enough students to a UGM (Union General Meeting) to validate a vote. If people believe that the evening is a waste of time both intellectually and politically then why would you turn up to what is essentially the union staff giving the students the chance to debate their union’s plans? Personally, I think this is quite a harsh accusation- given the 66 (or more) student run societies, some of which are purely creative, political, or indeed intellectual. It would also be remiss of me not to mention the Student Politics and the debates housed within the Union General Meetings, Student Councils, and the political hustle and bustle of the Student’s Union elections. So- we already have our intellectual abilities in question, but what about how we are being taught here? Well, it wasn’t long before I came across another scathing description of our campus experience. This Keele student says: “The work isn't all that demanding at all so there’s a risk that you'll get bored. Classes are often pretty lacklustre so if you're looking for any stimulating debate, look elsewhere cos you won't find it at keele.” t to be involved in shaping and understanding “Does coming to university mean that you wan ersity feel like a burden already?” the years ahead of you? Or does coming to univ Again, I say ‘Really?!’ I have felt the opposite through out my years at Keele. I am lucky enough to say that I chose a degree that I really have a passion for, and have never found more than a few grumbles about my lecturers. One question crosses my mind; is this a case of ‘the more you put in, the more you get out’? Obviously, we are working from otherwise anonymous usernames so have no way of identifying the students quoted, but what is your opinion? Of course, there was a fair few students pointing out the best sides of Keele too! It’s hard to avoid some of the great features Keele has, for instance this user said: “The night life is flexible with both free and pay for nights giving you choice and flexibility… I would not go anywhere else. Keele gives you freedom and the chance to make true friendships. The electives provided also help you gain new skills and there's a job shop too.“ The nightlife in Keele is actually very busy (for those of you who are new here!) So it’s not surprising to hear about that, but I was glad to see that a great attitude towards the campus as a whole was also conveyed; “For me though I couldnt have gone to a better university... I love the woods, I love the campus, I love *most* of the people and I love my course” So this website offered some stark differences in opinion- the only thing they all had to agree on: “I'd say just visit it and have a good look round”! So why Keele? Why do we all have such hugely different opinions of this campus we claim to love so much? And what of the Freshers? Does coming to university mean that you want to be involved in shaping and understanding the years ahead of you? Or does coming to university feel like a burden already? Do you feel disaffected and disconnected by your lecturers? Are you uninterested in shaping the way the union and our university works? Or just plain isolated? If so – say so! Tell us your views Keele! Got an opinion? Want to vent? Let Keele hear it! You can submit an aticle, a picture, a story, a riddle, a quiz to Concourse by contacting Fadi Dada (Vice President Communications and Democracy) Just email it to vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk 15

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Ask Fay...

Fay manages KUSU’s Independant Advice Unit (IAU) which provides FREE, confidential and impartial advice on academic, personal and financial issues. Drop in between 1-4pm to arrange an appointment! You can find the IAU on the top floor of the students union. Alternatively email your queries to: independent.advice.unit@keele.ac.uk In this regular section we publish a selection of the frequent questions that Fay and her team deal with around the time of publication. I’m not really enjoying my course as much as I thought I wo uld... Can I still change?

It’s normal to have doubts, however if you think that this isn’t the right course for you, you will need to act quite quickly as you will only normally be able to change in the first three weeks of the autumn semester, you can talk to the IAU team, with CLASS and with the Electives Office, as any change may also affect these. too late to Hi Fay, I don’t like the people in my block... Is it do anything about it?

There are things you can do if you really don’t like living where you do; you can put your name down on the list to transfer to a different room, this list opens on 27th September. If you want to move out of halls completely, then technically you can only normally do this if you leave Keele, or for whatever reason you are no longer on a full time course, however it is worth contacting the Student Accommodation Lettings Team as at the start of the year there will be students wanting to move onto campus who haven’t found anywhere off campus, but you will need to organise this properly. Ok, I was a bit of a tit last night and lost my key! Can I get a replacement?

Well, you will have probably discovered that if you need to be let into your room by Security after midnight you have to pay a £10 charge. To get replacement keys you will be asked to pay £10 per key (maximum charge of £20), you will need to request replacements during office hours. Before you do pay for a new set it is worth checking to see if your keys had been handed in. 16

My student loan is a few weeks la te... Should I be worri ed? I NEED it!

You can use the Unit’s facilities to chase your loan, we have a phone and computers for you to use, or we can talk to them for you. If you are short of money there are various ways you can borrow money to get through while you are waiting, so don’t stress about this one, you aren’t alone and there is help available.

CONC1:Concourse1 23/08/2010 11:48 Page 19

ed a fag r this week and I’ve just notic I moved into my room earlie ed for it! n’t do! I don’t want to be fin burn on my carpet that I did

You should have already completed an electronic inventory and so this ideally should have been added to it, but if you missed it you will need to put your case to the Housekeeper for your Hall. If you are in this situation and can’t resolve it please contact the Unit.

th lunteering back home wi vo of bit ir fa a ne do e I’v at ram... Is there anything things like the DofE prog lved in? Keele that I can get invo Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet new friends, get to know the local area, increase your confidence and get work related skills. If you have already volunteered before, you know the value of volunteering, and you can build on your experiences here. The Volunteering Experience @ Keele office is within the Advice Unit and Becky is on hand to help you find just what you are looking for. This year we have had students help with projects on campus; in charity shops, at a hospice, planting trees, teaching in schools in Thailand and much more. Students actively involved in societies and some other campus activities can also If you check out the ve pages of kusu.net you can find out more, or you can come along to meet representatives from volunteer organisations on Wednesday 29th September 11-4pm in the Ballroom. I’m a little bit br oke at the mom ent but like sex... Fr ee condoms plea se.

We have a limited supply of condoms which we give out for free, but the Health Centre will also supply free condoms after a consultation with the nurse if you are registered with them, if you are off campus talk to your GP Practice. and have I’m an international student extending NO IDEA when I need to be my student visa...

Whats the crack with carparking permits fo r first years? Can I even get one?

First and second years are not able to get a permit on campus – though if you have a disability which means you need to park on campus this can be arranged through the Centre for Learning and Student Support.

My tutor is useless! He’s always late! Who do I complain to?

Well, you can talk to your StAR, or you can use the Complaints Procedure. This procedure is being looked at at the moment, and hopefully should be more user friendly. Details of the Complaints Procedure is on the University’s website, but if you want to discuss it before making a complaint, you can talk to an advisor in the Unit, it may be something that can be resolved in an easier way than you think.

Well, you need to extend before it expires, but when exactly can depend on your circumstances (if you are here to work, if you want to travel etc.) so, if you want to be completely sure when and how to extend your visa you can check out ukcisa.org and our webpages for information then contact the Unit team for specialist advice specific to you. Please don’t rely on information that was given to a friend, their situation will be different to yours. 17

CONC1:Concourse1 23/08/2010 11:48 Page 20

Make a positive difference in the local community. Experience diversity and meet new people. Have fun and increase your confidence.

rience e p x E y r a t n Volu

Enhance your employability. Gain valuable transferrable work-related skills. Inform your long-term career choice. Gain a VE Award - Great for your CV! Thinking about volunteering? Come along to our Autumn volunteer fair!

WEDNESDAY 29th SEPTEMBER 2010 11AM - 4PM STUDENTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; UNION BALLROOM

CONC1:Concourse1 23/08/2010 11:48 Page 21

Hey Guys’, Welcome to Keele. Hopefully you’re settling in well and now looking for exciting things to do. I’m Athletics Union President this year and it’s my job to give you an update on what’s coming up in the sporting calendar. Coming off the back of a winning year (2009/10) with three of our Men’s Football teams, Women’s Basketball team and Men’s Fencing all gaining promotion we are in a strong position to start this year and once again show that Keele is a University that loves sport and consistently performs well. The Athletics Union is holding a Fresher’s Fair at the Sports Centre on the 26th and 27th September for you to come down and meet the club captains and other committee members. Here you can find out about training times and dates for trials. You are guaranteed to get a very friendly welcome, which is one thing we pride ourselves on. Whatever your sporting ability, whether you’re a serious competitor used to playing competitively week in week out, or even if you’ve never played a sport before, there’s something for everyone. With 50 teams, over 30 sports participating in leagues on Wednesday afternoons there is surely something for you. Most teams train twice a week with socials held by many of the teams after matches there are many great chances to get to know new people. We were also successful in Varsity last year beating local rivals Staffordshire University. Varsity is a day at the end of the year on which Keele University and Staffordshire University challenge each other over 15 sports. It is the culmination of the year during which all the training and practice comes together for the most intense day of the sporting calendar. Last year Keele were outright winners winning 10 – 5, a feat we intend on matching this year, with a mixture of old and new talent. Most importantly the Athletics Union provides you with a great chance to meet new people, make some of the closest mates you’ll have during your time at Keele, blow of steam, get the most out of your university experience and stay fit and healthy. Hope to see you at our Fresher’s Fair (26th and 27th September at the Sports Centre) and throughout the year. I’d really encourage you to give sport a go and I promise you won’t regret it. Tom Walker AU President 19

CONC1:Concourse1 23/08/2010 11:48 Page 22

KUSU SUDOKU!

Hall of Fame.

ng Guy! Leadership lessons from Danci “When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in”.

Never before have I seen a video that is so ridiculous yet utterly inspirational at the same time, do not waste your time with useless leadership and management strategy books, it’s all here and it’s bloody wonderful. 20

CONC1:Concourse1 23/08/2010 11:48 Page 23

Concourse Player Profile. Name: James O’Keefe Age: 19 AU Team: Mens Football Position: Full back Hometown: Manchester Club Supported: Manchester City

BIO... Last season was ‘Shaggys’ debut season for K.U.F.C. He immediatle made an impact, quickly establishing himself as a star for the 5th team. With his star steadily raising, Shaggy acrimonously left over the winter break for pastures a new with the 3rd team where he established his position in a side that went on to win the City Traders Division two title in the 09/10 season. Despite perhaps being more memorable for his horrible ginger mop, erratic shooting and love of pasties rather than his footballing prowess, Shaggy has become an intergral part of the club and is looking to push for a place in the 2nd team squad in the ‘10/11 season. In his spare time Shaggy enjoys nothing more than a “decent sized portion of fish and chips whist playing a relaxing game of bingo”,

QUESTIONS... What was your highlight of the 2009/2010 season? Scoring an own goal for the 5th team; although it’s not a great thing to do, it was a fantastic header... You were awarded the Judas award at the end of season presentation, do you feel that this is a fair reflection of your character? Yes, and I’m proud of it! I think that if a player feels he can move up the ladder he should bloody well do it! I left the 5th team with no regrets and plenty of great memories. The most important question... North vs South, which is better and why? The North! Pies, Mancunians, Industry, Mick McCarthy, fine ale, The Beatles... The South tends to be full of t**ts and the idea of living there disgusts me!

CONC1:Concourse1 23/08/2010 11:48 Page 24

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